Our society seems to equate love with liking. That you must like someone or something before you can love. I must admit it certainly helps, but if we can but draw a distinction then loving an enemy becomes just a bit less challenging. I may not like my neigbour, I may disapprove of his lifestyle but if I say good morning I am begining to love and that is bringing God into our relationship.

As others have said before, this is such a challenge. To love, do good, bless, and pray for those who are actively trying to hurt us. I know it says else where to forgive, but this verse takes it even further by adding these actions. wow

The natural response to someone cutting up rough is ‘well if that’s your attitude, you can go and take a running jump’ Jesus says otherwise. Not an easy message to hosts of us in the public services, from Park keepers, through prison officers, to doctors and nurses. But that’s my challenge!

... let your enemies love you. The parable of the Good Samaritan shows us that, though we often miss it. Imagine being the Jew on the ground, sore and hurting and who should turn up to help, but a Samaritan, a despised foreigner. And this person is coming to help. How would you feel if your enemy, the person you really dislike, that beggar, tramp, prostitute, murderer, whoever came to you aid when you needed help. Not those who you expected, but this person. Now that’s a *real* challenge for us to face. Oh how short I fall on this one.

This morning I opened an email from someone asking for help, they had deliberately caused me great pain and immense damage in the past without justification.  Startlingly today’s text focuses me of the attitude that I should have towards such a person. It tells me of the disposition that I need to cultivate, and it gives the benchmark of perfect charity by which, as a disciple I have chosen to be measured. Happily I can help without putting myself in the line of harm again. I confess this was not my initial reaction! I am so grateful for this text today.

Why are they an enemy - greed or envy on our part or thiers? hate - why? again usually born from greed, envy or being wronged. Anger is a natural part of the emotional make up that makes us human, its the bitterness that comes with unresolved anger that creates hate, people lose sight of rational thinking - they weaken under the strain of negativity. being abused by another - in whatever way for whatever reason weakens the spirit - finding the strength for understanding takes time but ultimately strengthens the soul. pray we can rise above the actions of others and forgive thier ignorance

I pray that those who harm others through their words or actions will know the Truth. Not just the truth of what they do but also the whole Truth of Jesus’ forgiveness and love to them.The truth will set them free from the sin.

Thankyou, I am so pleased to have received a verse for today (Sunday 21st).  So many advocate Sundays in Lent being ‘Feast’ days, but Jesus didn’t get Sundays off in the desert, so why should we???  Lent is Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday, when Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, then we have Holy Week.

im just studying ephesians as part of an ICES course on the letter of Paul and have been looking at Paul’s description of the christians armoury (eph 6:10-20) today. what i found helpful was paul’s teaching that warfare is not with people, but with the powers of darkness. applying that here we should realise that those enemies, those who hate us, curse us or abuse us are a front for the real enemy and we should pray for the person and fight the real enemy. I don’t think he mens we should ignore all the abuse or cursing but realise where it comes from.

If only we could all put this into practice, what a wonderful world we could have.